William orr



' W. ORB;- PIREPRooF GONSTRUGTION.

(No Model.)

Nirnn STATES PATENT einen,

WILLIAM ORR, OF TREN TON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE NEW JERSEY lWIRE CLOTH COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRPROOF CONSTRUCTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,481, dated lfebruary 1, 1898i. .Application filed May 1, 1896. Serial No. 89,888. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern;

Beit known that I, WILLIAM ORB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, county of Mercer, and State of New Jersey,

5 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Constructions, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

IO The object of the present invention is to provide an improved reproof construction especially adapted for partition-Work, but which may be used also `for walls, ceilings, roofs, and in similar constructions.

The present invention enables such iire-` proof constructions to be produced in a more efficient and economical manner than heretofore, while at the same time the desired durability and efiiciencyare secured, these rezo sults being obtained by the use of slabs of.

suitable plastic material secured at the ends to other parts of the construction and preferably attached together at their side edges,

so as to form a continuous partition-wall or other construction of the requisite strength.

These fireproof slabs are preferably provided with a metallic frame embedded therein-` s'uch as wire lathing, perforated sheet metal, or wire-which forms a bond for the plastic 3o material, greatly strengthening the construction. For the purpose of securing these slabs to iixed parts of the construction, so as to hold them in place, metallic connections are embedded in the plastic material and extend be- 3 5 yond the end or'ends of the slabs, and these metallic connections are preferably extensions of the metallic frame, which forms a bond for the plastic material, as above described, when such a frame is employed. These metallic connections need not extend throughout the length of the slabs, however, but may be only of such length as to secure the hold upon the plastic material of the slabs required for securing the slabs in place. Such metallic connections also may be provided on one or both the side edges of the slabs, so as to be used in securing adjacent slabs together or in securing the slabs in place by their side' edges; but other means may be used for this 5o purpose, and in some cases, especially ceiling and wall constructions, the slabs may not be secured together at thei side edges.

The metallic frame embedded in and forming a bond for the plastic material is preferably the common woven or twisted Wire l lathing, this forming a most efficient bond and a very convenient means of securing the blocks in place or to each other, in the manner hereinafter described, when it is extended beyond the edges of the slabs.' As above 6o stated, however, any other suitable form of metallic lathing may be used, or separate Wires will be found .quite efficient when ernbedded in the material, and such wires may extend either longitudinallyor crosswise of the slab or in both directions. The useof two or more such wires extended beyond the edges of the slabs to form the metallic connections for the slab, in combination with wire lathing forming a bond for the plastic 7o material, constitutes a very efficient and convenient construction.

In securing the slabs togetherat their side edges it is desirable that the connections do not project beyond the face of the slab, so that in finishing only a thin coat of plaster need be applied to form a perfectlysmooth uniform surface throughout the partition or other construction. This result is attained in'accordance with the present invention by 8o providing the slabs with recesses at their edges to receive the connections by which the slabs are secured together.

The invention includes also a partition or other construction formed of plastic slabs extending the full height of the partition, or

-the full length between supports in the case of walls, ceilings, or similar constructions, so as to be secured to fixed parts of the construction at their ends and secured in place 9o or to adjacent slabs, as hereinafter described, such a construction being very cheap and especially desirable for light solid partitions.

In this construction a metallic bond for the plastic material, such as woven wire or perforated sheet metal or separate wires, is preferably used for the purpose of binding the plastic material together; but such a construction is of value under many circumstances without the metallic bond in the slabs. roo

For a full understanding of the invention a detailed descriptionof a construction embodying all the features of the same in their preferred form and certain modifications thereof will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and the features forming the invention will thenbe specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view, partly broken away, of a partition and ceiling construction embodying the invention and shown complete, with the exception of the light coat of iinishing-plaster which is applied to cover the connections between the blocks, this figure showing the partition as composed in part of single blocks extending the full height of the partition, as preferred, and in part of shorter blocks connected at their ends, adjacent blocks being connected together at their edges. Fig. 2 is a view on the line 24 of Fig. l, partly in elevation and partly in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 8of Fig. l, showing the manner in which the blocks are connected together at their side edges. Fig. 4 is an edge view of a portion of one of the blocks, looking to the left in Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 of Fig. 1, showing another method used in securing the blocks together at their ends. Figs. 6 and 7 showin plan and cross-section other methods of securing the slabs together at their side edges, the sections being taken on the dotted lines in the plan views. Fig. 8 shows a portion of a slab with woven-wire bond and attachingwires running longitudinally through the slab. Fig. 9 shows in plan and longitudinal section a slab having two series of wires forming the bond and running at right angles to each other and projecting beyond the slab at all four edges for attachment. Fig. 10 shows another form of recessed slab, omitting the metallic bond and which may be used either with or without-attaching connections embedded in the slab.

In the drawings, A are. the ceiling-beams, shown as of the common I form,and B the iioor, between which and the ceiling-beams the partition is to be formed, the partition being shown as running longitudinally7 of a beam and secured to the bottom flanges thereof, the

ceiling also being supported by these flanges. As shown at the left-hand portion of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2, the partition is formed of long slabs C, continuous from floor to ceiling and secured at the top end to the beams A and at the base end to the floor B. As shown in this figure, which illustrates the preferred form of these'slabs, they are composed of plastic material of any suitable character having the requisite strength and have a metallic frame running through the center, which forms a bond for the plastic material, this bond being formed, preferably, of woven or twisted Wire lathing, as shown, and this wire lathing extends beyond the opposite ends of the slab,

so as to form means for attaching the latter in place to the beams A and to the floor B.

This attachment of thelathing 10 may be made in any suitable manner; but a simple, convenient, and efficient construction is shown, in which the wire lathing is secured at the top end of the slabs to similar wire lathing 11, running through the ceiling-slabs D, which extend from beam to beam and are 'supported thereby, these slabs D being shown as formed in the same manner as the slabs C of the partition. The metallic lathing 11 of the slabs D on one side of the beam A is eX- tended below the lower flange of the beam A and secured to the slab D on the opposite side of the beam by staples or nails l, so as to form a loop of the lathing below the Iianges of the beam,which supports plastic material to cover and protect the beam, and to this loop of the lathing-the lathing l0 of the slabs C is secured by wire ties 2 or in any other suitable manner, plastic material 3 then being lled in around the tops of the slabs C and the beamiianges, which plastic material is held bythe lathing 10 11, so as to firmly secure the tops of the slabs C in place and form a continuous partition.

At the base the slabs C are recessed to form grooved edges, which are entered by a rib 12 on the floor B, so as to partially secure the partition-slabs in place, these grooves and the rib preferably being made angular, as shown, for strength. The slabs are permanently secured in place and firmly held, preferably by cutting the lathing at intervals at the base of the slab and bending successive sections of 4the lathing in opposite directions, as shown at the edge of the slab in Fig. 4, lthe lathing projecting from the base of the slab sufficiently to be secured by staples or nails 1 to the floor B. The lathing may all be bent to one side without cutting, however, and the slabs secured on only one side, or the slabs may be secured in anyothersuitable manner. The slabs are preferably secured together at their side edges for strength and to form a continuous practically-integral partition, and for this purpose the construction shown clearly in Figs. l to 3 is preferably used, in which one edge of each slab is cut away to form a rib, preferably angular, as shown, and the opposite edge is similarly lgrooved to receive the rib edge of the neXt slab, andeach slab is provided at intervals on the rib edge with recesses 4, preferably arranged alternately on opposite sides of the slab, as shown, and forming depressions below the face of the slabs, which receive strips of the lathing" 10, which is cut at intervals corresponding to the recesses 4 and bent in opposite directions, so as to lap over the opposite sides of the next slab and be secured within the recesses4by staples or nails l, as shown clearly IOO IIO

in Fig. 3, this construction securing the slabs t together firmly and at the same time leaving but a small space to be filled up for forming a smooth surface in completing the partition,

as the connections do not project outside the face of the slabs.

As above stated, the use of slabs each of which extends the full heightof the partition is preferred, as this construction is cheaper, simpler, and stronger; but it is possible to use shorter slabs secured together at their ends, and such a construction is shown at the right hand in Fig. 1. These shorter slabs are of the same construction as previously described and shown at the left hand in Fig. 1; but the lathing in adjacent slabs is arranged near the opposite faces, and each slab is recessed throughout the whole or part of its end next the adjacent slab and on the side opposite that at which the lathing is placed, so as to receive the end of the lathin g lO of the next slab. The lathing projects beyond the ends of each slab sufficiently to loop over and be secured in the recessed end of the next slab by staples or nails 1 as shown, and the ends of the slabs are thus connected together on two lines, so as to secure a much more rigid construction than if secured together on only one line, while the lathing does not project outside the faces of the blocks and leaves buta small space to be filled up in finishing the partition, as previously pointed out in connection with the attachment of the slabs together at their side` edges. This feature of securing the slabs together along two lines is of especial importance when slabsare to be secured together at their ends to form a long slab; but it may be used also for securing the slabs together at their side edges, and in many cases will be found very desirable for such use.

After the partition has been constructed as described and shown it is covered throughout from top to bottom with a coating of plaster sufficient to secure the desired finish, iill up all recesses, and cover completely the wire lathing, staples, duc. It will be seen that by this construction a partition of perfectly smooth uniform surface throughout is 'readily secured without applying a thick coating of plaster except at the points necessary to ll up the recesses and cover the ends of the lathing and staples or nails, and but a small amount of such thick filling is required. Vith this slab partition or a wall or ceiling similarly formed it will be understood that any detail additions may be made, the same asin the case of fireproof constructions made by other methods. Thus, as shown, the usual blocks of Wood or similar material 13 near the top and bottom of the partition, for the adjacent slabs by staples or nails l, so as to hold them together. Fig. 7 shows a construction similar to Fig. 6, except that separate plates of metal are notusedg but the slabs are secured together within similar recesses at their adjacent edges by staples 7 of sufficient size and strength to hold the two slab together firmly.

Other methods may be used for the purpose of securing the slabs `together at their side edges, but the forms shown are sufficient to illustrate the invention and to suggest to those skilled in the art many other modiiications.

As above stated, other means than woven or netted wire or perforated metal lathing extending beyond the ends of the slabs may be used for the purpose of securing the slabs in place, and an efficient and convenient constructionfor this purpose is obtained by using wires of suitable size embedded in and preferably running through the slabs and projecting beyond one or more of the edges of the slabs sufficiently to form ties by Which the slabs may be attached to other parts of the construction and'held in place or attached to each other. These wires may be used either with or Without another bond, such as wire or perforated metal lathing, but preferably will be used with the other bond, especially if wires running in but a single direction through the slabs are used, as theslabs are thus made very strong by the bond which the wire or 'perforated metallathing gives, and only enough separate wires to hold the slabs in place need be used.

In Fig. S is shown a part of a slab C similar to those previously described, except that the metallic lathing 10 does not extend beyond the end of the slab g but the attachment of the slab in place is secured by three wires 15, which preferably extend the full length of the slab and beyond the latter at both ends a short distance, as shown, for attachment o f the slab to other parts of the construction.

In Fig. 9 is shown a construction in which the slabs are provided with Wires 15, running through the slab in opposite directions and extending beyond the slab atall four edges, so as to form means by which the slabs may be attached in place at their opposite ends and at their side edges to other slabs or other parts of the construction. As shown in this figure, the metallic lathing isomitted, the Wires being depended upon to secure the requisite bond of the plastic material, and the wires extending sidewise through the IOO IIO

slabs are shown as staggered, so as to be arranged in two series near the opposite edges of the slab, which provides convenient means for securing adjacent slabs together at opposite side edges and secures two lines of attachment transversely to the slab, making a much stronger construction than where all the attachments are in a single line. It will be understood that these wires l5, whether used with or without the metallic lathing, may be corrugated, twisted, ribbed, or formed in any other suitable manner, so as to secure the tensile strength of the wire transversely to the slab or to obtain a stronger hold upon the plastic material. While the wires l5 have been shown as the ordinary round wire, it will be understood that flat strips of metal may be used asian equivalent construction.

While the metallic lathing,`wires, or some similar bond for the plastic material is preferably used, theinvention includes also a partition, wall, ceiling, dto., formed of plastic slabs secured together at their edges on opposite sides of the center by connections in depressions in the faces of the slab, so that the connections do not project outside of the face of the slab whether the metallic bond be used or not, and certain constructions employing plastic material slabs with or without such bonds.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a slab which is dev sirable for use where a thick partition or other construction with air-spaces is required, these slabs O being provided with recesses forming depressions below the face of the slab on their opposite side edges at intervals or throughout their entire length, so that adjacent slabs may be secured together by abutting their edges and applying within the recesses plates 14 similar to those shown in Fig. 6 and previously described, which are then secured to the two slabs by nails or staples l. The air-spaces may extend the full length of the slab, but to prevent their becoming a continuous lue in case of fire cut-offs may be made at one or more points in their length.

It will be understood that many other modiications may be made in the constructions shown embodying the invention and that I am not to be limited to the exact form or arrangement of parts in any of the constructions shown.

l. A slab for partitions, Walls, ceilings, and other constructions, formed of plastic material and having metallic connections projecting beyond one or more edges of the slab for securing it in place or to other slabs, and having depressions below the face ot' the slab at one or more of its edges for receiving metallic .connections projecting from the edge or edges of adjacent slabs, substantially as described. j v

2. A slab for partitions, walls, ceilings, and other constructions, formed of plastic material and having metallic connections project- `ing beyond one or more edges of the slab for securing it in place or to'other slabs, said metallic connections being placed on one side of the center of said slab and the face of the slab on the opposite side of the center being recessed at the edge to receive the metallic' connections from the next slab, substantially as described. v

3. A slab for partitions, walls, ceilings and other constructions, formed of plastic material with a metallic bond embedded therein and projecting beyond one or more edges of the slab for securing it in place or to other slabs, said metallic bond being placed on one side offthe center of said slab and the face of the slab on the opposite side of the center being recessed at the edge to receive the metallic connections `from the next slab, sub'- stantially as described.

4. A slab for partitions, Walls, ceilings and other constructions, formed of plastic material with metallic lathing embedded therein to form afbond for the plastic material and having separate Wires embedded therein and projecting beyond one or more edges of the slab to form ties or fastenings for the slab, substantially as described.

5. A slab for partitions, Walls, ceilings and other constructions, formed of plastic material and having a series of separate wires embedded therein, and a second series of separate wires embedded therein and crossing the wires of thetirst series, the wires of said second series being arranged alternately and entirely on opposite sides of the wires of the first' series and on opposite sides of the center of the` slab and projecting beyond the edges of the slab to form ties or fastenings for the slab near opposite faces of the slab, substantially as described.

6. A slab for partitions, walls, ceilings and other constructions, formed of plastic material and having metallic connections projecting beyond one or more edges of the slab for securing it in place or to other slabs, and having the face of the slab at the edge or edges opposite the edge or edges having the metallic connections recessed alternately on opposite sides ofthe slab to receive the metallic connections of the adjacent slab or slabs,

substantially as described.

7. Aslab for partitions, walls, ceilings and other constructions, formed of plastic material with metallic lathing embedded therein and projecting beyond the edge or edges of the slab, and the edge or edges of the slab from which the lathing projects being grooved, and the opposite edge or edges being cut away to form ribs, substantially as described.

8. A slab for partitions, walls, ceilings and other constructions, formed of plastic material with metallic lathing embedded therein and projecting beyond the edge or edges IOO IIO

of the slab, and the edge or edges of the slab from which the lathing projects being grooved, and the opposite edge or edges be-` ing cut away to form ribs, and the face of the slab adjacent to such ribbed edge or edges being recessed alternately on opposite sides of the slab, substantially as described.

9. A partition, wall, ceiling, or similar lireproof construction formed of slabs of plastic material secured at their ends to suitable supports and having their side edges abutted and secured together by connections on opposite sides of the centerplane of the slabs, substantially as described.

10. A partition, Wall, ceiling, or similar iireproof construction formed of slabs of plastic material secured at their ends to suitable supports and secured together at their side edges by connections in depressions below the faces of the slabs, substantially as described.

1l. A partition, wall, ceiling, or similariire* proof construction formed of slabs of plastic material secured at their ends to suitable supports and secured together at their side edges on opposite sides of the center of the slabs by 'connections in depressions below the faces of the slabs, substantially as described.

l2. A partition, wall, ceiling or other fireproof construction formed of slabs of plastic material extending the full height of the construction and secured at the opposite ends to suitable supports and having their side edges abutted and secured together by connections on opposite sides of the center plane of the A slabs, substantially as described.

18. In a reproof construction, a series of slabs of plastic material secured together Vat their edges on opposite sides of the center of the slabs by connections in depressions below the faces of the slabs, substantially as described.

14. In a iireproof construction, a series of slabs of plastic material secured together at their edges on opposite sides of the center of the slabs by metallic connections embedded in the slabs, substantially as described.

15. In a fireproof construction, a series of slabs of plastic material secured together at their edges by metallic connections embedded therein and projectingbeyond the edges of the slab, the connections in adjacent slabs being placed near opposite faces of the slabs, substantially as described.

16. In a reproof construction,` a series of slabs of plastic material secured together at their edges by metallic connections embedded therein and projecting beyond the edge of the slab, the metallicconnections at the edge of one slab being divided and lapped over the opposite faces of the adjacent slab or slabs, substantially as described.

17. In a iireproof construction, a series of slabs of plastic material having metallic connections embedded therein and projecting beyond the edge of the slab, the connections being divided and turned outward in opposite directions for securing the slab in place or to other slabs, substantially as described.

18. In a fireproof construction, a series of slabs formed of plastic material with metallic lathing embedded therein to form a bond for the plastic material and projecting beyond the edge of the slab, the projecting portion of the lathing being divided into sections and lapped over the opposite faces'of the adjacent slab or slabs, substantially as described. v 19. In a flreproof construction, a series of slabs of plastic material having connections formed of metallic lathing embedded therein and projecting beyond the edge of the slab, the projecting portion of the lathing being divided into sections and turned outward in opposite directions for securing the slab in place orto other slabs, substantially as described. Y

20. In a iireproof construction, a series of slabs of plastic material secured together at their edges by metallic connections embedded therein and projecting beyond the edge of the slab, the edges from which the connections project being grooved, and the opposite edges being cut away to form ribs to extend into the grooves in the edges of the adjacent slabs, substantially as described.

2l. In a fireproof construction, a series of slabs of plastic material secured together at their edges by connectionsformed of metallic lathing embedded therein and projecting beyond the edge of the slab, the edges from which the lathing projects being grooved, .and the opposite edges being cut away to form ribs to enter the grooves in the edges of the adjacent slabs, the projecting lathing being divided into sections and lapped over the opposite faces of the adjacent slabs, substantially as described.

22. In a` iireproof construction, a series of slabs of `plastic material secured together at their edges by connections formed of metallic lathing embedded therein and projecting beyond the edge of the slab, the edges from which the lathing projects being grooved, and the opposite edges being cut away to form ribs to enter the grooves in the edges of the adjacent slabs, and the face of the slab adjacent to such ribbed edge being recessed alternately on opposite sides of the slab, the projecting lathing being divided into sections corresponding to the recesses in the faces of the adjacent slabs and lapped over the opposite faces of the adjacent slabs and secured in the recesses, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM ORR.

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